Minutes to Midnight
by angel6.d
Summary: The minutes to midnight are counting down. And how is Booth going to ring in his new year? By himself? Or with the woman he cares about?


**Title: **Minutes to Midnight

**Pairing: **Booth/Bones 

**Rating: **T

**Summary: **The minutes to midnight are counting down. And how is Booth going to ring in his new year? By himself? Or with the woman he cares about?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bones. Also, I do not own Linkin Park and I thank them whole-heartedly for the title that just seemed to fit perfectly!

**AN: **Here's a little piece to ring in the New Year. But, first of all, I've got to give a HUGE thank you to **Skellingtonlover** who helped me with this piece! Without her it wouldn't be half of what it is! So, everyone, altogether now: Thank you, thank you, thank you! And without further ado:

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It was now 10:30 PM; well at least it was according to the very expensive watch on his wrist, as well as the TV Guide. It was now 10:30 in the evening, and Seeley Booth was sitting at home, in front on his television, clad in jeans and a t-shirt. With his party hat sitting somewhat askew on his head, remote in hand, and a bottle of beer beside him, he was set for the evening. The evening could not be complete without his little noise-maker sitting innocently beside him, waiting to fulfill its destiny. 

But of course, this was not just any evening. Of course not, it was New Years Eve. And it was on this particular evening that Booth found himself declining offer after offer to come out and end the year with a bang.

There he was, sitting on his sofa, bored out of his mind, flicking through the channels, chalking the night up as a loss. Why he had declined so many offers, he couldn't say. Something just didn't feel right about being at a party, getting drunk and singing 'Auld Lang Syne' without someone interesting to share it with. Needless to say, the only person he would consider for such an offer hadn't asked.

It wasn't that he had expected her to ask him to go somewhere, anywhere, with her, to ring in the New Year. He hadn't, although, deep down, he'd had a minuscule shred of hope that she would invite him over for Chinese food, or something. But, she hadn't, and neither had he. It wouldn't have been difficult; all he'd had to do was ask. And if all else failed, he'd have Angela hound her. That method had always proved itself to be failsafe, time and time again in the past. But, he'd chickened out, and decided to welcome in the New Year, alone.

He reached over and took a sip of his beer, savoring the taste of the cold liquid as it hit the back of his throat. Reaching over, he haphazardly sat the bottle down on the side table, knocking over a picture frame in the process.

Cursing he leaned over, causing his party hat to fall off in the process and picked it up off the carpet, thankfully, it had survived the fall. It was a picture of himself and Bones at the Jeffersonian. She'd been arguing with him over something or the other, and he'd just smiled at her. God alone knows how Angela that _magical _moment. He took a look at it, as a small smile escaped him, before chucking it back onto the table. His smile was gone now, as his soulful, chocolate eyes clouded over.

"Damnit Booth!" He cursed himself. "It wasn't a _real _kiss! Let it go!" He let his head fall into the palms of his hands, as his fingers ravaged his hair, pulling. It was almost as if trying to pull the memory of their kiss out of his mind.

It had been nothing, at least that's what he'd been trying to tell himself since it had happened. He'd tried to remind himself that she'd only even considered kissing him because it was the only way she could get the trailer for her father.

Despite what he'd been trying to desperately tell himself, he couldn't help but think that the kiss had been more than that. He'd felt that _spark_, hadn't she? He had tried to pull away when he was certain they had given Caroline long enough, to spare Bones any embarrassment, to save himself from going too far, but _she_ had pulled him back in. She deepened it further, ever so carefully kissing his bottom lip with her tongue, requesting an entrance. She had even left him her gum as a parting gift! But that had just been for effect, to ensure she got what she wanted from Caroline. It didn't mean anything.

He turned off the television; every channel was about, "New Years Eve." He'd hope that it would have been a distraction. But at this point, nothing short of a bright, flashing neon sign. It was nothing more than a reminder of the one person he just wished he could forget about right now.

A loud sigh of frustration escaped from between his thin lips as he leaned his head back on the sofa. He closed his eyes, trying to will away the memories of their kiss that they held, and the resounding questions in his head that had followed it.

And then, as if he was a man on a mission, with a message from God, he leapt off the sofa with a start. He stood stock-still for about a second or two; his appearance a somber one. Then without a second thought, he grabbed his jacket and keys and walked out of his apartment.

The heavy door slammed shut behind him, with a loud bang. And with that, the silence that he'd been trying to will into his mind, took over his apartment.

* * *

The chilly air hit his face as soon as he rolled down his window. It wasn't too bad tonight, considering the time of year. It was refreshing; it made him feel a little calmer, a little more at ease. 

He drove for a while down the empty streets, as he supposed everyone was already where they needed to be. Everywhere, he reckoned, people were partying or at least surrounded by people whom they loved, and vice-versa, having a good time.

'Not everyone,' said a voice in the back of his mind. He rolled his eyes at this. Leave it to his annoying inner psyche to state the obvious. No wonder it's at the back, he thought bitterly, no one wants you around, you're aggravating. 'It doesn't make me any less right, well _you_ really.'

He rolled his eyes, in the way that only Booth could. He put his window back up, as the cold air just wasn't cutting it for him anymore. He stopped at a red light, and flicked on the radio, only to flick it back off as the announcer began to ramble on about, "2008."

He had to get a hold of himself, it was only a _kiss_, and to top it off, it hadn't meant anything. It had just been part of a deal, it had been nothing. Of course, it didn't help his internal argument much when he drove past her apartment complex. She's probably not there anyway, he reasoned, she's probably at the Jeffersonian.

"It was _just_ a kiss!" he yelled, as if saying it out loud would make it true.

He drove about two blocks more before he lost his internal battle. Had there been traffic on the streets, surely, he would've either been the cause of a lot of accidents, or he would've a part of a pile-up. He turned suddenly, doing a U-Turn in the middle of the street, gunning the engine now, back to her complex.

It seemed silly, he was a grown man after all, and he shouldn't be beating himself up, trying to pick apart their kiss. Trying to think every minuscule detail over, from her grabbing the lapels of his jacket, bringing him closer, to how far she'd taken the kiss. All he had to do was ask her for some answers. That's what grown-ups did after all; they talked things over didn't they? He wasn't a teenager anymore, he was a man. He was an FBI Agent for goodness sake; he could do this, couldn't he?

He gave a fleeting glance at the glaring numbers in the car that read the time. It was now, 11:51.

His mind was made-up. He was going to do this. He was going to go up there, and face the woman who made his dreams that much more pleasant. He was going to face the woman who drove him insane with her way of doing things. It was now or never, and although, never sounded like a safer option, he was ready, and he was going to do this now.

He parked and ran into the complex, and caught the door to get into the lobby as someone exited. He jabbed the elevator button with vigor, glancing down at his watch: 11:56. "C'mon, c'mon," he whispered, glancing up at the numbers to see which floors the elevators were on until he heard the dinging sound, announcing one of the elevators arrival.

The doors slid open and he slipped in. Once again, his index finger poked away at his destination floor for a few seconds before the doors closed. He leaned back against the cool wall of the elevator.

He was really going to do this. He was going to get his midnight kiss.

When he got off the elevator, it was 11:57 and counting. He ran down the hallway to her door, banging on it urgently.

It was going to be a new year soon and he wanted to start it off on the right foot, or in his case, lips.

"Bones!" he yelled, "C'mon open up!" As he began a silent prayer that she was there at all, after there had been no response following his violent attack of her poor, unsuspecting door.

And then there she was, opening the door, her blue eyes looking startled, with worry swimming within their depths. Her hair was tied up, a bit messy, probably from her running her fingers through it as she poured over something confusing. She was wearing sweats. And right now, despite how cheesy it seemed, to him, she'd never looked more beautiful. "What the..." Brennan began, concern marring her face.

Without any warning, he crashed his lips down over hers, capturing them, and kissing her with passion that surprised the both of them. He heard her gasp, but it wasn't long before she began to return the kiss, the passion.

They broke apart, breathing heavily, as they heard the noise of the television, or something, announcing that it was officially 2008.

He smiled down at her, pulling her slightly closer as he dipped his head down. "Happy New Year Bones," he said into her ear, nibbling at it slightly as he felt her shiver at the contact.

"An interesting tradition Booth," she said in reply, a small smile playing on her lips. "Why are you here?"

"I think there's some things we need to talk about," he said, pulling back from her ear and beginning to trail kisses down her neck.

"Now?" she questioned, her eyebrows rose as she spoke. "I was just in the middle of a book…" she began, only to be cut off, once again by Booth's lips on her own. This time, his kisses weren't as rough, as needy. They were soft, gentle, warm.

She pulled back, taking in the confused look that took over his face as she did so. "C'mon Bones, its romantic, midnight kiss y'know. How can you refuse me after that?" He asked her, flashing his patented charm smile at her despite her obvious look of annoyance.

That's my Bones, he thought to himself.

He began his slow torture again as he began to kiss along her jaw, his lips barely touching her soft skin. But he stopped what he was doing, as she took his hand and began leading him into her apartment.

They were met with the sound of Auld Lang Syne echoing throughout the apartment from the television, as they entered. The pair stood, hand-in-hand, listening. The people sang, and some would have felt that the words were nothing but words, but to Booth and Brennan, they both felt that the words rang true. They were old acquaintances by now, and they couldn't forget times gone by.

After all, what other the reason did Booth have to be there, if not that he couldn't forget Brennan's tender kiss?

**

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AN: **Thanks for reading!! Drop a few words before you leave, please and thank you! 

Best of luck to everyone in the New Year, and stay safe everyone! Happy Holidays!

**-angel6**


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